Robert Frost's poem "A Cliff Dwelling" reminds me of the people who must have lived here "Oh years ago--ten thousand years" and enjoyed the beauty and safety of a cliff. A place "to rest from his besetting fears". Welcome to mine.

In 2014 I featured a series of blog posts introducing you to 2,014 names. For the most part they were names that were brand new to me as well. Some names may be more familiar but I found the meaning or origin or some other aspect of the name made it worthy of inclusion here. You may love some of the names, you may hate some, but hopefully you enjoy learning about all of them.

Names Featured on this blog

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Coldplay has been nominated for 7 Grammy awards. The only person to get more this year was a rapper called Lil Wayne. Coldplay is nominated for the following:- Record Of The Year (Viva La Vida)- Album Of The Year (Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends)- Song Of The Year (Viva La Vida)- Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (Viva La Vida)- Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (Violet Hill)- Best Rock Song (Violet Hill)- Best Rock Album (Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends)

I am very happy about this, of course. I think they should win all 7 categories, but if they can only win a few, I want them to win Album of the Year and Best Song or Record. I think it goes without saying that I will be watching the Grammys on February 8th.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

I am posting this recent interview that was done with Chris Martin when they were still here in the U.S. on tour because a) it's a great interview, b) I think you might not take the trouble to click on a link and then read the interview, but you might read it if I post it here, and c) I am falling in love with this guy (no, not really, but I do like how his personality comes through in the interview).

Chris: "We're having the time of our lives"November 14, 2008 9:42 amColdplay.com catches up with Chris in Atlanta

Hello Chris, how are you?I'm good man, I'm in Atlanta. I just had my ears looked at and my mouth washed out.

What's wrong with your ears and your mouth?Well nothing as it transpires. But in every city I go to, I like to find some random person on the street and ask them to look at my ears.

To what end?I like to ask what they think about 31-year-old men getting their ears pierced. But it's almost unanimous agreement that it's too late, you can't do it. It's annoying.

Right. Let's talk about the Prospekt's March EP. Had you always planned to release it?Yeah, the idea was always to put these songs out about now.

So when you started recording Viva La Vida, the intention was to have extra songs?Yeah. But they're all part of the same family. In truth, I think because Glass Of Water's a little heavier, for example, we felt like, "Let's put the album out and then if it does OK we'll put out those songs that we were maybe a little shy about putting out".

Did any of the EP's songs come close to being on Viva La Vida?Well they all kind of are. I've never thought of them as not being, y'know? That's why it's funny when I realise people haven't heard them yet. Plus, it was nice to have an opportunity to remix Lovers In Japan and get Jay's version of Lost! on there. So to me it's like the right hand to Viva La Vida's left hand.

Are you pleased with Jay-Z's Lost! rap?Yeah, I love it. He's a clever man.

Did you hear the mash-up album of Coldplay and Jay-Z songs?Viva La Hova? I haven't heard it, but I've heard about it. I don't look at anything on the internet very much, so I don't really know what's going on.

And what was the thinking behind the new Lovers In Japan mix?Well, we've been playing it live better than it is on the record. So the live version has informed this Osaka Sun version, which is just a bit more lively. I'm super-pleased with the EP, I've gotta say. And I'm allowed to say that because it doesn't have the same pressure as an album coming out. I think the people who've got Viva La Vida already and like it will hopefully really like the EP because it's from the same family, if a little more catchy. And the people who haven't got Viva La Vida can get both together. I just feel good about it. But what I'm really excited about is playing in Britain.

Ah yes, the UK tour is only a couple of weeks away.Exactly. I realised onstage yesterday that we've done almost 70 concerts now and we still haven't played at home. I just felt like, "Man, we've been really rude, we've got to go back and play there". I can't wait for the Sheffield show.

Do you have any special plans for the UK tour?We'll we be doing the same kind of things, but the jokes will be more Britain-centric. We're going to have to lose all the Joe the Plumber jokes and the Sarah Palin jokes and come up with ones about Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand. Really the only problem with playing in different countries is thinking about what to say between songs.

You're playing in the UK right up to Christmas, with the last show on December 23rd in Belfast.Yeah. And I would also like to do something on Christmas Eve, but I'm not sure if it's possible. I have to say, it does feel weird that we haven't been in Britain at all. Over the last week or so, the realisation of that has really hit. But I think next year we'll make up for it.

Is that a hint towards future plans?Well, we tried to get Knebworth but it just wasn't possible. So we're having to think of something else. In fact, I think we have thought of something else. Hopefully we'll be able to announce it soon. And hopefully it's not the same day that Oasis have booked it.

Although that would be a good double bill.It would be a great double bill. And we wouldn't mind opening. I would also, funnily enough, open for Take That. We were in the dressing room yesterday and, for whatever reason, we started singing Back For Good. We sang the whole thing, word for word, with all the right chords on our piano, without having to learn it or anything. It was great. So I'd like to use this forum, the Coldplay website, to announce that if Take That want us to open for them, we'll do it. The only problem is that we'll have to get down the gym for a bit.

But you do have more touring plans for next year?Yeah. Our touring plans are very much like Christmas presents that are wrapped, but you can basically see what they are. If you look carefully you can see the shape. And you can probably guess, "Oh this feels like a stadium".

Have you been enjoying this tour?Man, we're having the time of our lives. The truth of it is, we've always wanted to be a band that could go anywhere in the world and it's suddenly happened. It's such a privilege. It's surreally brilliant. But we can't wait to get back to Britain. That's home. So, what else is going on in Britain? How are Tottenham doing?

They're doing incredibly well since Harry Redknapp took over.Great.

Meanwhile, your team, Exeter City are doing well in the league but got knocked out of the FA Cup by a team many divisions below them.How many divisions are there below them?

Well Exeter are in the fourth tier of English football and they were beaten by a team from the eighth tier.What?!

It's quite fashionable to buy a football club these days. Perhaps you could make Exeter an offer.Well, if we had enough money I would love to buy Exeter City and then give it to someone who knew what they were doing, because I don't really know anything about football. But it's too expensive. Funnily enough, someone came up to me in New York the other day - a big businessman - and said, "I nearly bought your band the other day". I can't tell you who it was, but it was a hilarious conversation. He said he'd nearly bought our label.

So, if you had to pick the best gig from this tour, which would it be?Paris Bercy.

What was good about that?The crowd. And the price of the refreshments. I judge our concerts on how reasonably-priced the veggie burgers are. If I see that they're too expensive, I can't have a good gig.

Really?No, not really.

Good. Because the price of a burger is often linked to its quality. Cheap burger usually means bad burger and vice versa.Do you think so? Does that work with music too? Could we be like Be Here Now, reassuringly expensive? By the way, could I go on record and state that Be Here Now is a great album?

Not even Noel Gallagher thinks that.No, Noel doesn't like it, but I do. I think it's got great songs on it. I think My Big Mouth is one of Oasis's best songs.

But that album is just too long.Well that's also known as X&Y syndrome. Every band gets it. But for anyone reading this, they should listen to the song My Big Mouth by Oasis, because it's wonderful.

It was nice to read your note about Barack Obama winning the election last week.Oh man. This American tour has been fantastic because it's just such an incredible time to be here and the audiences are in such a good mood; I think our audience is probably 90% Barack people. It's been like living in the middle of history. We were in New York on election day and it was a total carnival.

It sounds amazing.It is amazing. You remember when Take That came back? It feels like that for America.

That good, eh?Yeah. If you think of America as an Othello piece, it feels like it just turned over. It feels like 50% different. It feels like all the people who've had to be quiet for eight years are suddenly the people that are now gonna get to make decisions.

Have you been writing songs on tour?Yes. I write all the time, because it's the only way to make sense of everything. I've got one of those little keyboards you get given for Christmas when you're seven. I have it with me at all times.

Did you write a song today?I did write a bit of a song today actually, yeah.

Can we have a sneak preview?Um, well, it's about when your uncles get drunk and sing.

Is it really?Yeah, I promise. And it also owes a slight debt to Altogether Now by The Farm. I never knew that song was about the football match in the trenches in the First World War. It's amazing.

Well we'll look forward to the drunk uncles song. In the meantime, is there anything else you'd like to add?Just that we are grateful to the people that have been into our band this year, because we're having an incredible time. In fact, we f****** love it. And we're gonna get better and better. That's the news.

Monday, December 1, 2008

I was going to wait to post about the Coldplay concert until I could post pictures, but I decided not to wait. As if there could be any doubt, it was absolutely phenomenal. They were incredible and, of course, even better live than through a scratchy radio or cd. They put so much energy into every song they performed, it was awesome. And the crowd was great, too. It was just tons of fun. I would have loved it if it had lasted longer or if I could have gone the next day to another one. They are actually doing a ton of concerts in the UK right up through Dec 23 and then more in 09 through March and are even doing some in September (in case you needed an excuse to go to England next year). The best part was that for the one encore performance they did (yeah, I would have liked more), they performed Yellow and it was amazing. I so love that song. I go back and forth between Yellow and Viva la Vida being my favorites, but that night, Yellow was definitely it for me. They opened the show with Violet Hill, which was a good song to open with. They interspersed almost all of the songs from the Viva la Vida cd throughout the concert. I think it was for Lovers in Japan that they released paper butterflies from above like confetti. It was so colorful and beautiful. Then for another song (I want to say it was Speed of Sound) they kept releasing the paper butterflies, but the lights were low and the butterflies glowed in the dark different colors. It was way cool. They also did a very awesome piano version of The Hardest Part, it was so beautiful. They even came into the audience near where we were sitting (which was not the 12th row, like I thought, long story)and performed The Scientist and a song that Will sang, which I didn't know the name of. There was one other song they performed onstage that I didn't know either. The other songs they played came from the X & Y album and A Rush of Blood to the Head album. Politik is so awesome live. Will did a great job on the drums. And of course, they played Fix You and it was wonderful, I just love that song. The one song I wasn't as crazy about was Chinese Sleep Chant, which I've never really minded when I've listened to it on the cd. Oh, they also played Talk and God Put a Smile Upon Your Face and Clocks and In My Place and I think that's it.

This is still Coldplay related, but I wanted to share it. This is a video of one of their concerts (not the one I went to) and it even has Jay-Z in it for a little minute. It's the song Lost from the new cd.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Yes, Coldplay's cover of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. Obviously, they didn't do the whole song. So here it is, performed by the man himself, a rather slender-looking, Louis Armstrong. And, I just thought for comparison, I would give you the video of a lady named Eva Cassidy performing this song. I actually like her version even better than Louis Armstrong's. Apparently, she's died already, and I never even knew who she was till I was writing this post. She died at 33 of skin cancer (in 1996) and I guess her music wasn't really that well-known while she was alive.

A little history on the song. It was written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss and first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1968.

So, this lady at work asked me about doing a website. I told her about blogging first, because I thought that would be easiest, then I showed her some stuff to show her that nowadays it's really pretty easy to do a website, too (compared to when I made mine by writing html code). She wants to do this for her own business she has started up and wants the easiest and cheapest way to do it. Which would you suggest? By the end of it all, I was thinking a webpage would be the way to go because she gets her own domain name (I know, I know, a blog is really just a type of webpage. But I mean, based on the templates already made that she can just click her mouse on and stuff, which would be easiest and work best for her purposes?).

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Well, relatively speaking. It's not a new interest or topic, just these are my two favorite baby names right now. Even though I've loved James for a long time, the girl name is very new (I've had the names on my list, but way down). Drum roll...James Phillip and Phoebe Calista.

Yeah, so Mom and Dad don't like them at all. I think they maybe think James is ok. Phoebe Calista is just too strange for them (though they did remember that that's the name of one of the characters on Friends, and they never even liked that show!).

But it's really odd for me to only have one name for each sex that I would actually consider using (obviously, I have hundreds that I like and are on my list, but they don't pass muster when it comes to all the little ways they have to be perfect with Wilson and have an emotional connection). Oh, what emotional connetion, you ask? Well, aside from loving James for a long time and the fact that it is very handsome, it was the name of a character in a book I read as a teenager that I liked. Also, it is my grandpa's middle name. Phillip is very cool, but the emotional connection is just that our Carper ancestor was named Philip. Phoebe to me sounds like the name of a woman from the mid to late 1700s and it's Greek (and I love Greek names). Calista is just very beautiful and, of course, Greek. Not as much emotional connection to Phoebe Calista as other names on my list, but it is the perfect match, I think.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The first song is Gravity and the second song is Idiot. I really love Gravity. Why are these songs not on released albums? There are so many that Coldplay has done that are really good, but have not been on any major albums. They need to release them, in my opinion. This song is fantastic. Idiot is just ok.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

I am so behind in posting songs, that I'm not even going to try to make them up. We'll just do one song for today. This song has a very nice sound, but sometimes I love Chris's voice here and sometimes I don't.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Yep, I've been a slacker again. So the three songs for today are A Ghost/Merry Little Christmas, Songbird, and Live Forever (featuring Noel Gallagher), all three are from the Unplugged album. A Ghost/Merry Little Christmas is very nice, even though it seems to just be Chris and not the whole band. Lovely piano music and Chris has the perfect voice for this song (or songs). Apparently Songbird is an Oasis song and this is Coldplay's cover so I've included a performance by Oasis of the song (it sounds very different to me from the Coldplay version. I like Coldplay's version better). As for Live Forever, this is another Oasis song and I guess Noel Gallagher is a member of Oasis. So, again, I've included the Oasis version of the song. This song is fine, but I liked A Ghost/Merry Little Christmas and Songbird better. And as for the Oasis version, I really don't like the lead singer's voice. Other than that, I like their version.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Apparently, this song was originally done by A-Ha. This comes from the Unplugged album. It's a rather short song, I think. Definitely, A-Ha has the best version. But that is usually the case when someone covers a song, even if they do a good job (which, I'm not so sure I think Coldplay did in this case). Tell me what you think. Also, check out the fab 80's hair in A-Ha's music video. Oh, and for those who don't know, A-Ha is more famous for the song Take On Me.

Well, I got to hold my new little niece today. She had to stay in the hospital a while when she was born, but today I got to hold her. She is so sweet and precious. Her big brother was there and he is great fun to watch, at 20 months he is able to do so much! He talks in phrases (wow!) and can run and is just a pure delight. And I don't remember if I ever posted about my new little nephew who was born at the end of May (by the way, I'm not saying names or anything just to protect their privacy, even though only my family reads this, just to be safe). I saw him a week ago and he has grown so much! He is quite a good-looking baby. The reports on both the new nephew and niece is that they eat a lot (thus explaining why they have grown so much).

I wanted to say that I'm really glad that they have loving families and a lot of support. I am very hopeful for their futures. I work with mainly underprivileged children and also, several of them are special needs. So I guess I see the kind of lack they could be experiencing and some hardships and challenges I would never want them to have to face.

I wish they could live in a better world, but I hope that they get to experience as much of the good things this world has and as few of the awful things.

I am so proud of myself! Finally, a Song of the Day where I only need to post one, cuz I'm up on things (a holiday weekend will do that for you). So today's song is Where is my boy (actually, this is Faultline, not Coldplay, but it features Chris Martin and is one of the tracks on the Coldplay B Sides album). Kind of has this sound like it's being played on a record player, which is interesting. Love Chris's voice, as usual, but the music to me is boring though the lyrics are good, I think.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

One of these days I won't be behind and I'll be able to post just one song. But the songs for yesterday and today are Crests of Waves and Animals. Really like Crests of Waves. The Animals video is a live video. The song is just ok to me.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Wow, looks like I have really not been keeping with it on these posts. Sorry to get behind. The songs for the last two days and today are I Bloom Blaum, 1.36, and I ran away. It's late at night however, so I haven't actually listened to these songs yet (which are from the B Sides album, disc 2). I will post what I think about them tomorrow. You will need to click here to listen to Bloom, Blaum as I didn't find a video for it.

I'm back! So, I think 1.36 doesn't sound anything like what you would expect from Coldplay, but I still really like it. I like I ran away even more. For some reason, I felt like they sounded sort of like the Beatles in this one. Am I the only one that thinks this? But really, I think that I Bloom, Blaum is my favorite, so beautiful. I wonder why these songs aren't more well-known?

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I didn't realize that I had missed a couple of days, so there are three songs for today. They are For You and Harmless (both from the Without Parachutes album, 2002) and One I Love, from the B Sides album (disc 2). I really like For You and Harmless. One I Love is not bad, but I was expecting something more with such a nice title. However, I LOVE the live performance I'm posting. They definitely have a very "cool" rockstar vibe in this performance. And even though I'm not crazy about the song as a whole, I do really enjoy some of the components. I think Chris' voice sounds great here and I really enjoy the guitars.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Yes, another one. Ever since seeing Pride and Prejudice as a musical last Friday, I've been a bit obsessed with it. I have the movie (BBC version) and book on hold at the library, so I will be glad when they come in. Until then, thought I would share this fun clip (and to get my fix of Mr. Darcy for the day).

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

One of these pictures of David Beckham in the underwear ads (yes, though there are several, I have a favorite, and it's not the more famous one). However, since my brother reads my blog, I will just post a link, so I don't bombard people with images that may not be for them. And, I guess, considering who the people are who actually do read my blog, no one will post anything about the picture. Possibly, no one will even take advantage of the link. But I just want it there for you, just in case. So click here.

I kind of like this song. Apparently it's on the "playlist" for Breaking Dawn. Nice way to tie two obsessions together. Well, sort of. Breaking Dawn was such a letdown. We'll just say this is for the first few chapters (which I actually did like). Anyway, the song is from the Without Parachutes album (2002).

Monday, August 18, 2008

This is something Beth did on her blog. I'm supposed to list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about myself. The people I want to do this are Andy, Mom, and Manja.

JoysI found my watch!Listening to Coldplay all the timeMen who go running with their shirts off (well, the ones with nice bodies anyway). Honestly, they are a gift from God.

FearsThat someone I love will dieThat I will be in some horrible car wreck and not die, but be paralyzed or otherwise injured for life.That my whole world will come crashing down and I will end up back where I was, frozen by anxiety and depression.

GoalsFigure out a career plan for myselfOwn my own homeLose weight

3 Current Obsessions/Collections

I guess everyone knows I have quite the cross stitch collectionAlso, I have a lot of scrapbook stuffAnd, yeah, notice the song of the day? Uh huh, Coldplay is my big obsession right now.

Facts about myself

My blood type is O, but I don't know if I'm positive or negative! (need to look in my scrapbook to find that one out)My ears are pierced but I almost never wear earrings (or any jewelry for that matter)I toss and turn constantly at night and always have

I like this song. Love the nice and easy sound of the guitar in this song. It does just sound like Chris playing the guitar and singing, instead of the whole band making the song, but it's still quite nice.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Today's song is Careful Where You Stand from the Without Parachutes album (2002). This is a nice song. Very slow, but it expresses a very nice sentiment. The video is just a slideshow someone put together, though.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I know, you thought you'd never see another one of these, did you? But, it comes courtesy of books. Namely, my book of Robert Frost poems came today. Yay! And I started reading the last Twilight book. Yay with a twinge of sadness. Not just because it is the last book, but also because I'm rather disappointed. Yes, for the obvious reason and also for two others you might not have thought of. I'm not really that into the direction she's taking the story, it's just not as interesting to me as some of the possibilities I had imagined were. And also, I don't really like how she's approached the story that much, I can think of better ways she could have done it. Oh well. I'm not quite halfway through, so maybe it will turn around. Let's hope.

The songs for today are One I Love and See You Soon, both from the Live 2003 album. Now, as for "One I Love", I'm actually not crazy about the song itself, but you should watch the video anyway, because it was very entertaining. There's a lot of energy in this performance and the way the shots are edited together really works. I do like See You Soon, though. It's mostly just Chris playing the guitar and singing, but it's very nice for this song.

And, for those interested, a comment about why Chris seems so much more appealing in these performances with the long sleeve white shirt. It could be the short haircut, it could be the beard, it could be how old he was, but, I'm really thinking it's mostly the shirt, or...oops, I was about to go into too much embarrassing detail. You get the picture.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The songs for Saturday and today are the last 2 from the Parachutes album: Spies and Sparks. I have really grown to like Spies. It's my second favorite on the Parachutes album after Yellow (which I have been listening to more than Viva la Vida lately). I also love how smooth and easygoing Sparks is.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

That's right, I haven't posted the first 4 songs from the Parachutes album. So today's song is Don't Panic. I love this song. I've included the music video and a live performance. It was hard to pick the right live performance, though. I think I've picked the one that has the best combination of a good performance and Chris is rather sexy in this one (seems to be my weak spot lately).

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Not sure why Coldplay decided to have this song be the title for the album. It's a nice song, rather sad, though. What do you think? I think in this particular performance, Chris's voice is so sultry. Well, I like it anyway.

This is one of Robert Frost's poems. It describes pretty perfectly how I feel. Wandering through the woods, even after it's rained and you get all wet and muddy, is so magical, it's like being in love. Put the two together, and you have heaven. (The title of this poem does nothing to convey its sentiment)

A Line-Storm Song

The line-storm clouds fly tattered and swift. The road is forlorn all day,Where a myriad snowy quartz stones lift, And the hoof-prints vanish away.The roadside flowers, too wet for the bee, Expend their bloom in vain.Come over the hills and far with me, And be my love in the rain.

The birds have less to say for themselves In the wood-world's torn despairThan now these numberless years the elves, Although they are no less there:All song of the woods is crushed like some Wild, earily shattered rose.Come, be my love in the wet woods, come, Where the boughs rain when it blows.

There is the gale to urge behind And bruit our singing down,And the shallow waters aflutter with wind From which to gather your gown.What matter if we go clear to the west, And come not through dry-shod?For wilding brooch shall wet your breast The rain-fresh goldenrod.

Oh, never this whelming east wind swells But it seems like the sea's returnTo the ancient lands where it left the shells Before the age of the fern;And it seems like the time when after doubt Our love came back amain.Oh, come forth into the storm and rout And be my love in the rain.

And, on a note of loss, I have never found my book of Robert Frost's complete poems (well, it was actually Dad's, but I stole it, and now it's lost forever! It's so sad!). I rather suspect that it was somewhere in the Geo when I sold it to the mechanic and I got my stuff out of the car, but must have left that (since it went with me on the camping trip that weekend and I haven't seen it since. No doubt, it is not being appreciated if anyone has even found it. That is so sorrowful.) I guess I will have to buy some other version of his complete poems. I hardly want to settle for a paperback version, though. Hmm. Maybe I will look into this.

Monday, August 4, 2008

But still obsession-oriented. I have been reading the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer. For those who don't know, they are romance novels about a teenage girl and a teenage boy/vampire (well, and the other love interest, a teenage werewolf). I totally love these books and devoured the first three in one week exactly. Now I'm just waiting for my sister-in-law to get the fourth volume in the mail, and once she reads it, she's letting me borrow it. This is the responsible thing to do. I keep telling myself that to keep me from stopping at Barnes and Noble and buying the book myself. Although, I have also contemplated stopping at Barnes and Noble each night this week and just reading the book in the store. But since I haven't gotten ANYTHING done while I've been reading these books, I figured that a break is actually probably a good thing (and it was, since I was able to exercise tonight, of which I am very proud even though it was only for ten minutes).

Back to the books. It's actually very ironic that I like these books so much. My friend who has read them gets frustrated with the characters, but me? Nope. Not one iota. Even though the vampire is a very controlling boyfriend, fine by me (well, I wish he weren't, but I just let that slide and go right ahead wanting them to be together). Does a normal person need to be lifted into the car when there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with them? No, but, that's just how things work in this book and I take it all in and the feminist in me does not come out. You would think I would be tearing the story to shreds for all of the romance novel cliches it falls into, yet I don't, I eagerly turn the page wanting more.

You are welcome to laugh at me. I don't care, as long as this lady keeps writing these books, and they continue to be good like they have been, I will gladly be laughed at.

Anyway, for those of you who do read the books, I do have a couple of opinions to share on the few issues the book raises. First, should she pick Jacob or Edward? Both. I like the idea of her having both of them and it anguishing them and her every step of the way (or not, if they could live with that arrangement). Second, should she become a vampire? No. I understand her wanting to be with Edward forever, but I think the love story there will suffer once there isn't that tension of "is he going to suck the blood right out of her and make her undead" and also, even if she's just living off the blood of mountain lions and bears, I think she should stick to a human diet (um, as in, not drinking blood, not as in drinking human blood). Sure, she will age and Edward won't and it will soon disgust society that he's with an old woman, but I think that's part of the appeal of their love story: that it is rather impossible for them to live happily every after (I just don't think her becoming a vampire is a 'happily ever after' ending, really). Um, yeah, that's really the only issues the book raises. Oh well, I guess I think that if she does get her vampire wish, that the werewolf pack should stick to the idea of punishing the Cullens for breaking the treaty by biting a human. It might have a tragic end, but I kind of want Edward and Jacob to face off in the end (enough of the posturing already! well, not really enough of that, but in the end, do have them face off). Also, I do like it when the heroine actually takes actions that the other characters don't want her to take. Have her go through with one of her drastic ideas, however stupid, I rather like it and the problems it would cause. Make them scramble or have her suffer terribly, whatever, that is something I would like the author to do more (she did a good job of it in the 2nd book, but only did it once or twice in the third. When she had that sharp stone ready to slice her hand, she should have done it, rather than just Edward noticing that she was going to. Ugh. Please, follow through on these things.)

That's all, for now. Until I read the fourth book and have to wait a year (hopefully no longer) for the fifth book.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

I have been so obsessed reading the Twilight books, that I've kind of fallen behind in posting these songs. Yesterday and today's songs are Daylight and Green Eyes. I like Daylight, though there are parts that annoy me. And I like Green Eyes, though I wonder why he refers to her that way instead of using a name. I never call someone by their eye color. Anyhow, here are the videos with the songs. Chris is really interesting to watch play the piano on the Daylight video. I don't know who shot the Green Eyes video, but I think it's really good (it was shot in Berlin, that much I know). So enjoy!

Friday, August 1, 2008

Sorry I didn't post a song of the day yesterday. And one of Coldplay's best songs, too. The Scientist. The song for today is their grammy-winner Clocks. My expectation is that you can't do anything but love both songs. How would you rate them compared with the songs I've posted so far?

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I like this song. I don't like it as much as In My Place or The Scientist or Clocks (all from the same album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002), but I still like it quite well and enjoy listening to it again and again. The music video is kind of bizarre, though, don't you think? I also included a live performance of the song and a live acoustic performance as well. Enjoy!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

So, these are the songs of the day for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: Til Kingdom Come (X & Y album, 2005), Politik (from A Rush of Blood to the Head, grammy award-winning album, 2002), and In My Place, also from A Rush of Blood to the Head. Coldplay wrote Til Kingdom Come to be performed with Johnny Cash, but he died before he was able to do so. I really like all three songs. Chris really got in to his performance of Politik (which was done at the Grammys)! In My Place was the song that was a hit of the three songs. So, that means we get a music video for the song, a nice acoustic version with just Chris and Johnny playing, and another acoustic version that has the piano also (the video is just a slideshow, though), and a live performance at Glastonbury in 2005 (check out the awesome red guitar Guy has). Which is your favorite? Even though In My Place was the one I recognized, I rather think I like Til Kingdom Come best.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

I know, it's very odd that in the midst of all this Coldplay, I bring you somebody covering a song by a different band, but this just popped up on You Tube when I was watching a bunch of Coldplay covers. I really like the song Stop and Stare by One Republic, so I thought it was worth a listen to see if it was any good. I think it is fabulous. The way this guy plays the violin reminds me of why I love this instrument. It is so soulful, to me. Anyhow, I don't think you need to be at all familiar with the song he's covering to appreciate it, it's so beautiful.

So, my boss's daughter turned me on to this violin version of Viva la Vida. Well, actually, I don't know for a fact that this is the cover she meant, but I would guess it is, because this guy does an amazing job. In fact, I think he is so amazing that I think it would be cool if Coldplay had him come up on stage and play sometime. I mean, he is really that good.

I also found this piano cover of Viva la Vida that I think is quite good. Apparently the guy played it from ear, no sheet music.

First, let me comment on yesterday's song of the day, Low. Um, yeah, I don't like it. Now, on to today's song. I love it! The video is kinda bizarre to me, but love the music.

And just to comment a little on which Coldplay songs I've been enjoying lately. Spies. It didn't grab me the first time I listened to it, but now I think it's totally cool and love listening to it. I'm enjoying listening to Yellow almost as much as Viva la Vida (crazy). And Trouble, been loving that. Also, I love how relaxing Sparks is and I do like Shiver (just not as much as the others I've mentioned). I think I need to buy another Coldplay cd, though, two do not seem to be enough!

Even though it is technically Tuesday, this is the song of the day for Monday. But it's too late at night for me to play it, so I can't tell you what I think yet. I'll get back to you on that! Here's a video of them performing it live in 2005 (it's from the X & Y album from 2005).

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Until I fell in love with Viva la Vida, Speed of Sound was my favorite Coldplay song, and of course, it's one of their more popular songs. That is the Song of the Day for yesterday. Today's song of the day is A Message. There's the music video for Speed of Sound, a live version, which is several live performances blended in the video, I think, a short clip where they explain where they got the idea for the song Speed of Sound, then there's the video for A Message, also, I've included an acoustic version of A Message and a live version.

John Denny in New Castle County, Delaware

"Egoiste"

Lockhart House

Was this the Samuel Lockhart, captain of the Sloop Mary in the 1720s?

First Regiment Maryland Infantry - Civil War

from vol 11 page 185 of Historical Papers and Addresses of the Lancaster County Historical Society

From the Pennsylvania Archives

Samuel Lockhart - landowner in Augusta County

Josiah and Robert Lockhart - subscribers to a new road from Philly to Lancaster June 1792

land Josiah Lockhart (not the Brigadier General) had title to in Pennsylvania.

My Great-grandmother's Family Tree

Harriet Esther Laramie was my father's paternal grandmother. Her father was French Canadian and an early settler of Escalante, Utah. Harriet was a beekeeper and ran a ranch and raised 10 children on her own after her husband died in his forties. My dad has fond memories of "Grandma".